Saturday's First Robotics competition , held at Parker Middle School was a noisy spectacle of color, sound and motion, with color-coordinated fan teams chanting their support for robotics teams from throughout the region.
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Working behind the plexiglass safety barrier surrounding the large competition ring, members of Hartland's Electro Eagles Team 3536 are highly focused as they use joysticks to control their robot through a series of tasks required in the quartertrfinal copmpetition. From left: Alex Willis and John Dunleavy.
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During a break in competition on Saturday, there is an outbreak of enthusiastic dancing from a section of the stands packed with "Adambots", supporters of Team #245, Rochester Adams High School.
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Sidelines of the gymnasium at Parker Middle School were packed with enthusiastic fans and team mascots like Sam Shear, mascot for the Desperate Penguins of the Okemos area robotics team.
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Howell High School robotic programming mentor Eric Miller, wearing a Gordon modern kilt similar to that worn by the Highlander bagpipers and mascot, keeps an eye on the S.C.O.T.S. Bots entry from the balcony of Parker Middle School's gym.
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Between matches of serious competition, serious fun was had as team members from various schools dance to the song "Macarena," and later to Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" and Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline," to name a few.
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Members of the Hartland High School's Electro Eagles team, from left, sophomore Daniel Sapp, freshman David Garascia and sophomore John Dunleavy ready the team's robotic entry for its next match.
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The crowds constantly shook the stands of Parker Middle School all weekend, cheering their fellow classmates and robots on.

High schools from all over Michigan came ready to represent their team with bright colored shirts, costumes and school mascots to help cheer one another on during the second annual Howell High School FIRST Robotic Competition.

"Just seeing the kids cheer each other on they way they do is the best part," said Kevin Carstensen, Howell High School Robotic Competition event coordinator. "The cool thing about FIRST is that this event teaches the kids about gracious professionalism: Win professionally, lose professionally."

The robotic teams are associated with FIRST — For the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology — a national organization that inspires youngsters to be science and technology leaders.

There were three Livingston County schools who participated in the competition: Howell High School, S.C.O.T.S. Bots; Charyl Stockwell Academy, Gems; and Hartland High School, Electro Eagles.

The Gems were one of the district event winners.

The Electro Eagles were one of three district finalists.

The weekend-long event

The three-day event required each team to compete in two events where they played eight matches in a competition.

"After those eight matches, judges then determined the top eight teams and selected their alliance partners," Carstensen said. "After the semi finals and elimination, the judges chose the district finalists and championships."

Depending on how many points a team scored, whether it was during the qualification round or championship round, determined who would advance to the state matches.

"We began planning for this event in August and the teams were selected by FIRST of Michigan," he said. "They've all been great showing off their robots and pumping everyone up."

The theme for the competition was Recycle Rush, a competition to see which team can recycle the quickest.

Student-built, programmed and operated robots worked in an alliance of three teams and had their robots score points by stacking totes on scoring platforms, capping those stacks with recycling containers and properly disposing of pool noodles, which represented litter.

"The amount of points each team gets depends on the location the totes are stacked," Carstensen said. "They're doing what they enjoy, and they really get into it."

Sophomore and S.C.O.T.S. Bots team member Ross Ray was happy with the choice of theme this year because it was "much different than last year."

"Last year it was head-on attacking, and this year it's a race against the clock, but I'm glad the theme was switched up," he said.

Once the theme was revealed to all teams, they had six weeks to complete their robots.

"The teams spent a great amount of time designing, building, programming and testing their robots," he said. "They had to put a bag over their robot after six weeks and weren't allowed to use their robot until the event."

Waiting for the day of the event for S.C.O.T.S. Bots didn't seem to be a problem.

Ray said the team had plenty of practice time during the allotted six weeks.

"We all worked as a team when building our robot and we had a practiced a lot toward the end," Ray said.

Mechanically the robot worked fine, but Ray said driving it was difficult.

"It was still a great event because we got to see our creations come to life," he said. "Also seeing so many people who share the same passion as you is always great."

Contact Livingston Daily reporter Abby Welsh at 517-548-7108 or at awelsh@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @abby_welshLD.